EgyptAir hijacker is university professor of veterinary medicine

Ben Bassey 09:49 - 29 March 2016

Egyptair passenger plane hijacked, forced to Cyprus

Witnesses said the hijacker threw a letter on the apron of the airport in Larnaca, written in Arabic, asking that it be delivered to his ex-wife, who is Cypriot.

The hijacker of an EgyptAir flight, Ibrahim Abdel Tawwab Samaha, is a professor of veterinary medicine at Alexandria University, a staff list on the university website shows.

Samaha is head of the department of food health, the site shows.

Cyprus broadcasting (CYBC) reported that the hijacker may have personal motives. The hijacker had an ex-wife in Cyprus, CYBC said.

About 30 to 40 passengers onboard the hijacked EgyptAir plane that was forced to land in Cyprus were released, Cyprus state media reported on Tuesday.

EgyptAir said negotiations had resulted in the release of all passengers on the hijacked Egyptian plane except for five foreigners and the crew.